Changes
by Anglophile
Summary: Drizzt finds Cattibrie after 7 years. My first completed ficand I know, stupid title. Read and review warning: character death.


Note: My first finished/posted fic! Okay, I really really need feedback. This is way more dramatic than I usually write- I usually go for humor- but my friend was pressuring my to post and threatening me (hi sybil! see, it's posted!) and this is all I had. My first fic posted, so try to be nice to me, but be brutally honest if you need to. I'm serious. I'll be happy if you review, even if you're telling me that I'm a horrible writer. Just tell me why, so I can improve. All right, I'll let you go read the story now! Just as a note, this was written way before The Two Swords.

Disclaimer: Salvatore owns all, don't sue me, yadda yadda.

Drizzt sat at the bar table, the cowl of his forest green cloak pulled down low over his eyes. He hoped that she would show up- he still couldn't believe his luck in tracking her down, after all these years. He had thought Catti-brie lost to him forever.

Drizzt's lavender eyes darted watchfully around the crowded, noisy room, looking for Catti-brie. Suddenly, a slender figure wearing a charcoal-colored cloak caught his eye. He cleared his throat, causing the grey-cloaked newcomer to turn in his direction and walk to his table, sitting in the chair opposite Drizzt. Her face was hidden in shadow.

"You are the client?" she asked, and Drizzt recognized the voice, though it had a different accent and tone.

"Catti-brie," he said smoothly, ignoring the question. He lifted his hood slightly, just enough for her to see his face.

"I might have known," the woman replied evenly, showing no emotion or reaction. "I wondered how long it would take. I'm disappointed in you, Drizzt. Seven years? I thought you were a better ranger than that. Though, I have to admit, the trap you caught me in was good. To pretend to be a potential client, so I would show up? Pretty good, ranger." Drizzt flinched involuntarily at her cold smile.

"Your accent is gone," he said, changing the subject.

Catti-brie snorted. "That was the first thing I gave up. A human woman talking like a dwarf is more than a little conspicuous, wouldn't you say?"

Drizzt didn't know what to say. "Catti-brie," he began awkwardly, "I'm sorry for what happened. I never meant for-"

"Oh, I think we're pretty clear on what you meant to happen, Drizzt," Catti-brie cut in. "You expected me to just accept the fact that you didn't love me. You meant for me to stick around, for us to 'still be friends.' For me to go on with my life." Regaining her composure, she continued. "And this is my life now, and you're not gonna take it from me. Don't think you can rush in here and save me. I don't need you anymore."

"But I do love you," Drizzt said, reaching out to catch her hand. She pulled away from him. "All I said was that it would never work out between us, a drow and a human. You know that, Catti-brie."

Catti-brie opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, a cloaked man detached himself from the crowd and sauntered over to the table.

"Having any trouble, my dear?" the man asked Catti-brie, laying a hand on her shoulder protectively.

Drizzt's eyes narrowed as he recognized the voice. "Entreri," he growled. "I thought you were dead."

Artemis Entreri laughed. "Come now, is that any way to great an old friend?"

"You see, Drizzt," said Catti-brie, her smile full of venom, "Artemis is your opposite not only in appearance. When you rejected me, he accepted me- and taught me a thing or two about killing."

Entreri smiled roguishly and kissed her, laughing.

Drizzt's heart sank. It was bad enough seeing his Catti-brie, his once charming and innocent Catti-brie, now a deadly assassin, but to see her with his enemy-!

"I have to go," he said, abruptly standing up. He walked out hurriedly, his green cloak swirling in his wake.

After a whispered conversation with Entreri, Catti-brie followed. She found Drizzt leaning against the wall, staring up at the night sky. He turned to face her as she approached.

"You gave me a lot of pain, elf," she said.

"I know," he said in a strangled half-voice. "I- I'm sorry for that. I apologize."

"do you even know what it feels like? No, don't answer that- you don't."

Drizzt tried to think of his more painful memories. "My family," he whispered. "My father-"

"You think you do, but you don't." She moved closer. "I can give you a taste of it."

She reached out, suddenly, and wrappped her arms around his neck, then leaned in and kissed him.

Drizzt was taken off guard, but quickly relaxed and kissed her back. he was so immersed in this almost-forgotten feeling of holding his dear Catti-brie close once again. So immersed that he didn't notice when Catti-brie pulled a dagger from her belt and plunged it into his back, stabbing deep into his heart.

Desperately, Drizzt searched her expressionless face, his mouth open. "Catti-brie..." he managed to say.

Catti-brie still had her arm around his neck and her dagger in his back. "Now you can begin to understand my pain," she whispered in his ear. She was twisting the dagger in further when Drizzt lost consciousness...

Drizzt woke up with a start, his heart and mind racing. He tried to remember his dream, but the memory slipped beyond his grasp, and he was left with a vague impression of pain. He shook it off and started getting dressed. He needed to talk to Catti-brie today...

Okay, what did you think? Review and be honest.


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